


War Songs

by chimchar



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Delphini is raised by the Malfoys AU, F/F, F/M, I’m bad at tagging, M/M, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Slow Burn, Technically Epilogue Compliant Though, Very...VERY Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 05:50:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14349240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chimchar/pseuds/chimchar
Summary: Being an orphan is lonely, being the child of two Death Eaters is even lonelier. Delphini Lestrange didn’t expect the world to accept her with open arms, but she certainly didn’t expect it to greet her armed and ready for battle.[Note: Super infrequent updates while I’m working on other projects]





	War Songs

_June 3, 2000_

So much had changed.

This time last year, the Malfoy Manor was bustling with activity. Narcissa had tred carefully through her own home, fully aware that it wasn’t really _hers_ anymore. Death Eaters filled every wing, there was no where you couldn’t go without hearing someone having a conversation. People came in and out of the manor all the time, sometimes bringing prisoners who screamed at all hours until someone came to bring them elsewhere.

Her husband had been there. Lucius knew how unhappy she was, but could do nothing to change it. Still, each time he looked in her eyes she could tell that was all he wanted to do. He took care of her in those months, when she was ready to break down. The times when he’d be out of the house were the worst by far; he was her support, the only support she had. Without him she felt she was ready to tumble down.

Her son had been there. Looking at him was painful, but he was there. He was safe. He’d grown up so much in just a few months. He no longer looked like the boy Narcissa had loved, but rather a tired man who Narcissa loved just as feveresly. He spent much of his time locked up in his room reading. Sometimes, Narcissa would join him and he would read aloud to her softly. It reminded her of when she used to do the same for him when he was small, when things were better.

Her sister had been there. She occupied the large bedroom in the east wing just down the hall from Narcissa’s own. For the first few months, she spent scarce amounts of time there, but in the final few months it was where she spent almost all her time. Narcissa found herself spending more and more time there as well. Bellatrix had never been through this before, she needed support.

The house was almost entirely empty now.

Lucius was in Azkaban, where he’d stay for another two years. It was a light sentence for the crimes he had committed, but his absence left a hole in Narcissa’s very being. It had been like this last time he’d been sent to Azkaban, but then she had her son, her sister, to keep her sane. She felt indebted to Harry Potter for ensuring Lucius’s stay would be greatly shortened than what he otherwise would have had to endure.

Draco had returned to Hogwarts, he’d decided it was important to finish his education properly. Narcissa couldn’t help worrying. Other students certainly wouldn’t treat him fairly anymore, teachers might not be so mature either. He was gone and Narcissa couldn’t be entirely certain he was safe. She hated that feeling. She wished he had stayed with her, just waited another year for the world to heal from the war a little longer, but Draco always was stubborn.

Then there was Bellatrix, her absence was the most permanent.

The body hadn’t been returned, hadn’t gotten a proper burial. Narcissa wasn’t even sure what had happened to it. An Auror had brought Bella’s wand and a necklace a few weeks later and that was that. She was gone.

A year ago, this house would have been bustling with activity, now, it was silent. Save for the sound of a baby crying upstairs. Bellatrix’s baby.

If it weren’t for Delphini, Narcissa is certain she would have gone mad by now.

She was untouched by the war that broke Narcissa’s family apart. As untouched as someone with her parentage could be. She was so small, so innocent, she was exactly what Narcissa needed. Delphini required near constant care, she was a very demanding child. It amused Narcissa, partly because it reminded her of Bellatrix, partly because she knew Lucius would find it irritating.

”Don’t cry darling, Aunt Cissa’s got you...” Narcissa whispered, holding the little girl to the crook of her shoulder as she rocked her back and forth. It was the third time Delphini had woken her up that night, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind. She’d already been fed and changed, now she just needed to be held. She needed Narcissa to hold her, to love her. It felt good. “Auntie’s got you, Auntie loves you. You’re so loved Delphi.”

The baby fell back asleep, eventually. Narcissa barely wanted to put her down, partly because she didn’t want to risk waking the little girl up, partly because she didn’t want to have to return to her cold empty bed.

“Does Mistress need help?”

Narcissa jumped, Delphini shifted in her arms. She spun around, glaring. “Be quiet. The baby is sleeping.”

The house elf, Kipley, took a step back. He lowered his voice considerably to match Narcissa’s low whispery hiss. “Kipley is sorry, Mistress. Kipley remembers when the young Master was small, Mistress was always tired waking up to care for him. Kipley only wants what’s best for his Mistress.”

Narcissa sighed, rocking Delphini in her arms for a moment longer before placing the baby back into her crib. “Nobody will be caring for this child but me.”

Kipley nodded. “Of course, Mistress.”

If Narcissa had been a bit younger, maybe she would have punished the house elf for disturbing her moment with her niece, a year ago she certainly would have. It wasn’t a year ago.

She said nothing else to the quivering elf, stepping by him to shut the door to Delphini’s nursery as quietly as she could and walking back to her room.

The house fell back into silence. Narcissa would find that silence dreadfully lonely later, but for now she welcomed it. So long as it was silent her niece could sleep, not knowing the pain she would one day have to endure.

 

* * *

  

_June 4, 2000_

Harry Potter, for all the trouble he had caused, was a strangely large part of Narcissa’s life. Upon learning of Delphini’s existence, he was insistent he played some role in her life however small. Narcissa had been hesitant at first, but seeing the kindness he showed her niece had won her over. The manor didn’t seem quite so empty with Harry there, so while he was strange company for Narcissa, he was very welcome company.

“Children shouldn’t be punished for the actions of their parents,” he had reminded her when she finally asked why he wasn’t as bothered as she had expected him to be. “She’s a baby, not a monster. Any sane person can work that out.”

Narcissa knew that. She just hadn’t expected him to.

She knew what her sister was — cruel, ruthless, a murderer — but that didn’t mean she loved Bellatrix any less. It didn’t mean her daughter couldn’t grow up to be soft and kind. The world would realize that one day, Delphini wasn’t her mother. It would only be a matter of time.

Seeing past Delphini’s father, however, was a different story entirely.

“She looks more like her Mum,” Harry commented thoughtfully. “But her eyes are his. I suppose you wouldn’t know that, but when he was young his eyes were exactly that color.”

For as long as Narcissa had known him, the Dark Lord’s eyes had always been a deep blood red. She was thankful Delphini had inherited the color his eyes once were rather than that alternative. Brown eyes so dark they almost looked black were much easier to pass off as “normal.”

“Nobody will recognize her similarities to him. Rodolphus has brown eyes.” Narcissa couldn’t help herself from being defensive. Harry’s comment hadn’t been an attack on Delphini, but somehow it felt like it.

He tore his eyes away from Delphini for a moment, then smiled. “Of course nobody will, but for me it’s hard to miss.”

Narcissa couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Andromeda would like to meet her.”

Narcissa tore her eyes off the ground, physically recoiling at the name. “You told her about Delphini?! I won’t have her anywhere near Bellatrix’s daughter absolutely not how dare you — ” She caught herself, sucking in a deep breath.

Harry looked apologetic, but his smile didn’t waver. She could tell he was trying to be gentle with his words. “Her daughter had a son before she died, he’s about Delphini’s age.” He seemed to glow with pride as he continued. “His name is Teddy, I’m his godfather. He’s about the same age as Delphini is, I just thought it might be helpful if she had children her age to play with. I don’t want her to feel alone.”

There was a strange look on his face, it was oddly similar to the way Lucius’s face would twist when he was thinking of something particularly awful. It distracted her for just a moment from what he was asking of her. Allowing her wonderful niece to have a relationship with her sister. The sister she pretended she didn’t have. The sister who had told her she’d always be there for Narcissa, who had held her hand when she was scared, who had convinced their parents Lucius would be a good match for her when they doubted the marriage...who had left her for a *muggle* without a second thought. The idea that Andromeda’s grandson could someday do the same thing to Delphini bothered Narcissa more than the fact she’d be letting her niece consort with a mudblood.

“You’re taking her upbringing very personally.” Narcissa commented, ignoring the subject of Andromeda for as long as she could.

Harry shrugged. “I don’t want her to end up like her Father.” He paused. “And I know what it’s like to grow up feeling isolated, she deserves to make friends that will stand by her in the future. Not everyone will be as sympathetic towards her considering...her mother.”

“There are other children,” Narcissa snapped, trying to keep herself calm, but ultimately failing. “ _Her_ spawn, isn’t the only option.”

Harry visibly flinched. Narcissa felt a pang of guilt, he must really care for that grandson of Andromeda’s. “They’re family. Andromeda is _your_ family too. I think it would help her case to have people who aren’t...” He trails off before the next words come out, but Narcissa knows what he meant all the same.

Delphini begins to cry before Narcissa has a chance to respond.

 

* * *

  

_June 25, 2000_

Teddy Lupin has wisps neon green hair and bright pink eyes. Narcissa is glad her Mother wasn’t alive to see her great-grandchild. She would have thrown a fit.

Andromeda is looking down at the mismatched neon child with a fond expression, like he was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid her eyes on. He looks up at her, laughs, and his green hair changes to match the dark red of her sweater.

Narcissa just about had a heart attack.

Andromeda finds this incredibly amusing of course. Making a big deal of informing her if she had bothered to read the letters she had sent, she would have known her daughter, Nymphadora, was a metamorphmagus as well. Narcissa smiles nervously, recalling how her mother had burnt the letters in the fireplace before Narcissa could even consider opening them.

Delphini seems so ordinary next to Teddy Lupin with his ever-changing features.

Maybe this was a better idea than Narcissa had given Harry credit for.

“What color is his hair naturally?” Narcissa asked after about twenty minutes of stubborn silence.

Andromeda stop talking abruptly. She had been the middle of telling Harry all about how Teddy had managed to levitate himself in a burst of accidental magic, but as soon as Narcissa opened her mouth that was all forgotten.

“Light brown.” She reports cheerfully. “That’s what Nymphadora said at least. When he was born the little hairs on his head were the same shade as his Father’s.” She paused. “It turned blue after that, she was so proud.”

Narcissa reminds herself how lucky she was that Draco was able to leave Hogwarts that day.

“I wish I had met her.” Comes out before Narcissa has a chance to consider what she’s saying.

She’s remembers the Battle of Hogwarts. She stuck by Lucius’s side the whole time, watching his back as she reflected curses by children who had gone to school with her son. In all that chaos, she remembers a woman who looked all too familiar doing the same as she. The woman’s back was pressed against a man with mousy light brown hair, the two looked perfectly in sync as they defended each other from curses.

They had been called back after that, out of the castle. Narcissa’s mind was too focused on her son to think about the woman who looked chillingly like her lost sister. That is, at least, until two days later Nymphadora Lupin’s death was announced in the prophet.

Andromeda looked almost startled at her sister’s words, though it was likely because she hadn’t thought Narcissa would say anything at all.

“She wouldn’t have liked you,” Andromeda said sadly, laughing softly. “Never liked how ‘showy’ and ‘posh’ I was, but if anybody could get that girl into a dress it would have been you.”

Narcissa smiles. Andromeda was always able to make her smile. She hadn’t changed a bit.

The room lapses back into comfortable silence for a moment before Harry and Andromeda go back to talking about Teddy.

So much has changed.

If you had asked Narcissa a year ago if she thought she’d ever see her sister again, much less spend an afternoon in her living room, she would have scoffed at the silly notion.

”The man you ran away with, what was he like?”

Andromeda’s smiled, looking as if she was almost in a daze as she started telling Narcissa all about Ted Tonks, the brilliant Hufflepuff boy who made her feel like she mattered for more than just her pure, ancient blood.

”Lucius made me feel the same way...” Narcissa practically whispered, the weight of her husband’s absence weighing down on her once more. She wished Ted Tonks had been a pure blood, a half-blood even, then maybe...things could have been different.

Andromeda’s face reflected the melancholy that seemed to be suffocating Narcissa in that moment. “If you think he’s up to it, I’d like to meet him. I never really did properly, I think the closest I ever got was that silly party Mother threw for you when the Christmas holiday after your sorting.”

Narcissa smiled at the memory. “You threatened to hex him after he knocked me down a flight of stairs.” She laughed. “And then Bella did hex him when he refused to apologize.”

”Abraxas Malfoy spent the rest of the night apologizing to Mum and Dad,” Andromeda laughed. “I don’t know how he won you over after that.”

“He spent the next four years apologizing to me,” Narcissa explained. “He was such a gentleman after that, it was hard to refuse.”

They went on like that for another hour, not even noticing when Harry slipped away. For a blissful hour, bitter memories and blood purity were shoved aside and they were just sisters.

Narcissa hadn’t admitted it to herself before, but now it was safe to say that she had missed Andromeda. She was thankful to Harry for suggesting Delphini and Teddy know each other. She would have been much too stubborn to speak to Andromeda again herself.

She’d have so much to tell Lucius next time she wrote him.

So much had changed, but maybe change was alright.


End file.
